A surface of a vehicle, such as an aircraft, in motion builds static charge. For example, an aircraft has one or more radars located behind the nose of the aircraft. The nose may build a form of static electricity known as precipitation static (P-static).
Surface coatings may be applied to aircraft components to protect surfaces of the aircraft components. However, conventional surface coating(s) of vehicle components of an aircraft are typically not highly conductive, having resistivity of hundreds of kOhms to tens of MegaOhms. Accordingly, conventional surface coatings of an aircraft can allow charge buildup on surfaces (and other components) of the aircraft. In addition to an inability to dissipate charge buildup, conventional coatings might not have ideal “airworthiness” properties. For example, performance as to durability parameters such as rain erosion, resistance to UV light, resistance to high temperature, resistance to low temperature, inadequate flexibility, and resistance to sand and hail damage might not be ideal for conventional surface coatings on a surface of a vehicle exposed to extreme conditions, such as an aircraft. Furthermore, for coatings of a canopy of a fighter jet and/or windshield/window of a commercial aircraft or fighter jet, the coatings should be substantially clear to promote visibility through the surfaces.
In addition, if a conventional surface coating is mixed with additional chemicals to improve one or more desired physical properties of the coating, the coating is often incompatible with the additional chemicals, negating desired physical properties provided by the additional chemicals added to the coating. Conventional surface coatings are also often incompatible with underlying surfaces/coatings leading to adhesion degradation at the coating-coating interface.
In addition, cold weather conditions promote buildup of ice on vehicle surfaces. To remove ice, large amounts of chemicals are often sprayed onto the ice to promote melting. The large amounts of chemicals are a cost burden on a user of the vehicle.
What is needed in the art are materials that are both conductive and otherwise airworthy and methods of making and using the materials.